Golf Bag Having Shoulder Strap With An Electronic Device

ABSTRACT

A golf bag having a shoulder strap with a pocket for housing an electronic device such as an MP3 player, a radio, CD player, cassette player, and like devices. The shoulder strap includes a speaker, controls, and wiring to connect the electronic device to the speaker.

This invention relates generally to golf equipment and, in particular,to a golf bag having a shoulder strap with an electronic device.

BACKGROUND

Typically, golfers carry their golf bags utilizing one or more shoulderstraps. Golf bag shoulder straps come in a variety of shapes, sizes, andcolors. Furthermore, many golfers enjoy listening to music and/or videoswhile playing or practicing golf. Often, golfers will listen to musicand/or watch videos utilizing an MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3 (MP3) player.

MP 3 players have been in existence for several years and golfersusually carry their MP 3 players on their person while playing golf orpracticing. Sometimes, the MP 3 player can inhibit the golfer's abilityto socialize with others because individual golfers utilize ear phonesto listen to audio portions of the file. Moreover, the wiring utilizedto connect the MP 3 player to the ear phones can interfere with thegolfer's swing as he/she plays or practices. Therefore, there is a needin the art for apparatus to allow golfers to listen to and/or watchfiles on an MP 3 player while playing golf or practicing such thatgolfers are capable of interacting with other players and notsubstantially interfering with an individual golfer's swings.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a golf bag shoulder strap including a pocket tohouse an electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a golf bag shoulder strap including anelectronic device in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a golf bag shoulder strap including anelectrical connector for connection to an electronic device inaccordance with a further embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a golf bag including the shoulder strapof FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a shoulder strap 100 in accordance with one embodiment ofthe present invention. Shoulder strap 100 includes an elongated body 170with an upper end 172 and a lower end 176. Shoulder strap 100 may becoupled to a golf bag such as golf bag 400 described below. Moreover,shoulder strap 100 includes a pad 180 attached to elongated body 170intermediate upper end 172 and lower end 176.

Shoulder strap 100 includes a pocket 110 to receive and hold anelectronic device 140. In one embodiment, pocket 110 has a size so thatit may receive and hold an audio device such as an MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3(MP3) player. In another embodiment, pocket 110 is sized such that it iscapable of receiving and holding an iPod® manufactured by AppleComputer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. In further embodiments, pocket 110may receive and hold any type of MP 3 player, radio, compact disk (CD)player, cassette player, and other electronic audio and/or audio videodevices such as internet access devices, PDAs, cell phones andmulti-media devices.

Shoulder strap 100 also includes one or more speakers 120 mounted on theelongated body 170 and oriented between upper end 172 and lower end 176.Speaker 120 may be any device suitably configured to receive anelectronic signal and output sound waves. As such, speaker 120 may beany speaker known in the art or developed in the future. In oneembodiment, speaker 120 is oriented on shoulder strap 100 such that whenan individual is carrying a golf bag utilizing golf bag shoulder strap100, speaker 120 is oriented proximate one of the individual's ears.

Additionally, speaker 120 includes circuitry such that speaker 120 mayproduce low volumes. In addition or alternatively, speaker 120 mayinclude circuitry to produce medium and high volumes as well. Speaker120 is configured to produce audio signals that are audible inside apre-determined geographic distance such that persons outside thepre-determined distance are not substantially disturbed by the audiosignals produced by speaker 120. In one embodiment, the geographicdistance is less than about ten feet. In another embodiment, thegeographic distance is less than about two feet. Notably, the inventioncontemplates that the geographic distance may be any pre-determineddistance.

In another embodiment, shoulder strap 100 includes a set of controls 130to control an electronic device housed in pocket 110. Controls 130 areoriented on golf bag shoulder strap 100 intermediate upper end 172 andlower end 176 of elongated body 101. Moreover, controls 130 include oneor more volume switches, play/pause switches, one or more scrollswitches, one or more on/off switches, and/or any other control switchessuitable for controlling the electronic device housed within pocket 110.

Shoulder strap 100 also includes wiring 160 extending between thespeaker 120 and the pocket 110 to connect speaker 120 and controls 130to the electronic device 140 housed within pocket 110. The wiring 160includes an electrical connector (not shown) within pocket 110 so thatthe electronic device 140 housed within pocket 110 may be suitablyconnected to speaker 120 and controls 130.

In operation, an individual places the electronic device 140 in pocket110, and connects the wiring 160 (via the electrical connector) to theelectronic device 140. The electronic device 140 may then be controlledby controls 130 and/or controls included on the electronic device 140itself.

FIG. 2 shows a shoulder strap 200 including an electronic device 250 inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Electronicdevice 250 is permanently affixed to golf bag shoulder strap 200. Asdiscussed above, electronic device 250 may be an MP 3 player (e.g., anipod ), a radio, a CD player, a cassette player, and the like electronicdevices.

Shoulder strap 200 includes an elongated body 270 having an upper end272 and a lower end 276, a pad 280, a speaker 220, and controls 230similar to the elongated body 170 with upper end 172 and lower end 176,pad 180, speaker 120, and controls 130, respectively, of shoulder strap100. Furthermore, shoulder strap 200 includes wiring 260 (not shown) toconnect electronic device 250 to speaker 220 and controls 230. Inoperation, the electronic device 250 may be controlled by controls 230and/or controls included on the electronic device 250 itself.

FIG. 3 shows a shoulder strap 300 including circuitry to accommodateconnection to an electronic device in accordance with a furtherembodiment of the present invention. Similar to the shoulder straps 100and 200 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, shoulder strap 300 includes anelongated body 370 with an upper end 372 and a lower end 376, a pad 380,a speaker 320, and controls 330 similar to elongated bodies 170 and 270with upper ends 172 and 272 and lower ends 176 and 276, pads 180 and280, speakers 120 and 220, and controls 130 and 230, respectively, ofshoulder straps 100 and 200. In addition, shoulder strap 300 includes anelectrical connector 350 and wiring 360 to connect speaker 320 and/orcontrols 330 to an electronic device such as an MP 3 player, wherein theMP 3 player may be carried on the golfer or on/in a golf bag connectedto shoulder strap 300. In operation, the golfer connects the MP 3 playerto the electrical connector 350, and may control the MP 3 player bycontrols 330 and/or controls included on the MP 3 player itself.

FIG. 4 illustrates a golf bag 400 including a shoulder strap 500 whichis similar to shoulder strap 100. Specifically, shoulder strap 500includes a pocket at 510, wiring (not shown), an elongated body 570 anupper end 572 and a lower end 576, a pad 580, a speaker 520, andcontrols 530 similar to pocket 110, wiring 120, elongated body 170 withupper end 172 and lower end 176, pad 180, speaker 120, and controls 130,respectively, of shoulder strap 100. In addition, golf bag shoulderstrap 500 includes a connector (not shown) within pocket 510 to connectspeaker 520 and/or controls 530 to an electronic device (e.g., an MP3player) housed within pocket 510. Elongated body 570 has its upper end572 and its lower end 576 connected to body 410 at a location 574 and alocation 578, respectively. The pad 580 is located between upper end 572and lower end 576 of elongated body 570.

Golf bag 400 includes a generally tubular body 410 with an open top end420, a closed bottom end 430, and a spinal axis 440 extendinglongitudinally between top end 420 and bottom end 430. Top end 420 isdefined by a throat structure 450 similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 4,596,328 issued to John A. Solheim.

Golf bag 400 also includes another shoulder strap 470, wherein shoulderstrap 470 includes an upper end 472 connected to body 410 at a location474 proximate top end 420 and a lower end 476 connected to body 410 at alocation 478 which is generally intermediate top end 420 and bottom end430. Shoulder strap 470 may also include an elongated pad 480intermediate upper end 472 and lower end 476.

Shoulder strap 470 has an adjustment device 484 disposed on lower end476 for adjusting the overall length of strap 470, which length ismeasured between location 474 and location 478. Similarly, shoulderstrap 500 has an adjustment device 584 disposed on lower end 576 foradjusting the overall length of strap 500, which length is measuredbetween locations 574 and 578. By utilizing adjustment devices 484 and584, shoulder straps 470 and 500 may have their overall lengths adjustedindependently, as desired.

Although FIG. 4 depicts a particular golf bag, shoulder straps 100, 200and 300 may be used with other suitable golf bags or other types of bags(i.e. computer bags, backpacks, etc.). Further, while the golf bag 400in FIG. 4 has two shoulder straps 470 and 500, alternatively it couldhave only shoulder strap 500.

1. A golf bag comprising: a generally tubular body having an open topend and a closed bottom end; a shoulder strap having an upper endcoupled to the tubular body proximate the open top end and a lower endcoupled to the tubular body intermediate the open top end and the closedbottom end; and the shoulder strap including an elongated body, a pocketon the elongated body for housing an electronic device, a speaker on theelongated body, and wiring extending between the speaker and the pocket,the wiring being adapted for connection to the electronic device.
 2. Thegolf bag of claim 1, further comprising a set of controls connected tothe wiring for controlling the electronic device.
 3. The golf bag ofclaim 1, wherein the electronic device is an audio device.
 4. The golfbag of claim 3, wherein the audio device is an MP 3 player.
 5. The golfbag of claim 1, wherein the speaker is oriented on the elongated body sothat the speaker is proximate an ear of a user when the shoulder strapis worn on a shoulder of the user.
 6. The golf bag of claim 1, whereinthe shoulder strap includes a pad attached to the elongated body betweenthe upper and lower ends thereof.
 7. The golf bag of claim 1, whereinthe shoulder strap has an overall length and further comprising anadjustment device on the shoulder strap for adjusting the overalllength.
 8. A golf bag comprising: a generally tubular body having anopen top end and a closed bottom end; a shoulder strap having an upperend coupled to the tubular body proximate the open top end and a lowerend coupled to the tubular body intermediate the open top end and theclosed bottom end; and the shoulder strap including an elongated body,an electronic device affixed to the elongated body, a speaker on theelongated body, and wiring extending between the speaker and theelectronic device.
 9. The golf bag of claim 8, further comprising a setof controls connected to the wiring so that the electronic device may becontrolled by the set of controls.
 10. The golf bag of claim 8, whereinthe electronic device is an audio device.
 11. The golf bag of claim 10,wherein the audio device is an MP 3 player.
 12. The golf bag of claim 8,wherein the speaker is oriented on the elongated body so that thespeaker is proximate an ear of a user when the shoulder strap is worn ona shoulder of the user.
 13. The golf bag of claim 8, wherein theshoulder strap includes a pad attached to the elongated body between theupper and lower ends thereof.
 14. The golf bag of claim 8, wherein theshoulder strap has an overall length and further comprising anadjustment device on the shoulder strap for adjusting the overalllength.
 15. A golf bag comprising: a generally tubular body having anopen top end and a closed bottom end; a shoulder strap having an upperend coupled to the tubular body proximate the open top end and a lowerend coupled to the tubular body intermediate the open top end and theclosed bottom end; and the shoulder strap including an elongated body,an electrical connector on the elongated body for connection to anelectronic device, a speaker on the elongated body, and wiring extendingbetween the speaker and the electrical connector.
 16. The golf bag ofclaim 15, further comprising a set of controls connected to the wiringso that the electronic device may be controlled by the set of controls.17. The golf bag of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is an audiodevice.
 18. The golf bag of claim 17, wherein the audio device is an MP3 player.
 19. The golf bag of claim 15, wherein the speaker is orientedon the elongated body so that the speaker is proximate an ear of a userwhen the shoulder strap is worn on a shoulder of the user.
 20. The golfbag of claim 15, wherein the shoulder strap includes a pad attached tothe elongated body between the upper and lower ends thereof.
 21. Thegolf bag of claim 15, wherein the shoulder strap has an overall lengthand further comprising an adjustment device on the shoulder strap foradjusting the overall length.
 22. A shoulder strap comprising: anelongated body, a pocket on the elongated body for housing an electronicdevice, a speaker on the elongated body, and wiring extending betweenthe speaker and the pocket, the wiring being adapted for connection tothe electronic device.
 23. The shoulder strap of claim 22, furthercomprising a set of controls connected to the wiring for controlling theelectronic device.
 24. A shoulder strap comprising: an elongated body,an electronic device affixed to the elongated body, a speaker on theelongated body, and wiring extending between the speaker and theelectronic device.
 25. The shoulder strap of claim 24, furthercomprising a set of controls connected to the wiring for controlling theelectronic device.
 26. A shoulder strap comprising: an elongated body,an electrical connector on the elongated body for connection to anelectronic device, a speaker on the elongated body, and wiring extendingbetween the speaker and the electrical connector.
 27. The shoulder strapof claim 26, further comprising a set of controls connected to thewiring so that the electronic device may be controlled by the set ofcontrols.